Meet Haley Emerson | Founder & Designer of Haley J.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Haley Emerson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Haley, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Ever since I first started designing, I knew my ultimate goal was to one day launch my own fashion brand. I have always had a distinct, color-first design aesthetic that I felt was missing from the market. Growing up with parents who were entrepreneurs, the business mindset, resilience, and discipline required to start a business were modeled for me from an early age. Because of this, I knew my dream of having my own fashion brand was entirely possible.

After earning my B.F.A. in Fashion Design, I worked with established luxury fashion houses. I wanted to learn as much as I could, from design to production management and sourcing. I knew these skills would be invaluable for starting my own brand one day. However, after a while, I realized I was pouring my creative energy and strategic ideas into building someone else’s name and legacy. This is when I knew it was time to start my own brand.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art is my luxury fashion brand, Haley J. The brand is rooted in a color-first design philosophy, featuring an unapologetically vibrant signature color palette that truly sets us apart. I design for the woman who wants to stand out and never blend in. The brand balances a bold, joyful aesthetic with a strict commitment to high-quality domestic craftsmanship.

Getting to where I am today was far from easy. When starting the brand, I faced almost every possible obstacle you could think of. To overcome these challenges, I just kept reminding myself that I had a story to share with the world. I knew that if I stopped, I would be giving up on something invaluable. The biggest lesson I have learned along the way is to trust myself. Nobody knows your vision and your business better than you do. You need to move boldly with the decisions you know are right for your business and let the outside noise be just that, noise.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend were visiting, I would take them to hike the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, visit the Desert Botanical Garden, check out the Phoenix Art Museum, go vintage shopping in Phoenix and Scottsdale, and experience a local rodeo. We would also get a day pass to lounge at one of the incredible local resorts. We would start the mornings at my favorite coffee shop, Light Heart. In the evenings, we would grab pre-dinner drinks in Old Town before heading to one of my favorite restaurants: Buck & Rider, Pinyon, and Jing.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Absolutely my family. I want to dedicate this to both of my parents for always supporting my wild and crazy dreams since I was a little girl, and to my husband and daughters for cheering me on every day. If I did not have the constant support of my family, I would not have been able to make it through some of the obstacles I have faced when starting my business. They are truly my “why” to keep going.

Website: https://shophaleyj.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shophaleyj/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shophaleyj/

Image Credits
Autumn Cates Photography, Monica Farber Photography, CRB Creative